Earlier, war erupted erupted after Senate Republicans briefly demanding every bill be read at length until Senate Democrats agree to hear a House GOP redistricting bill headed their way.

Minority Leader Mike Kopp[2], R-Littleton, decided to use the rarely used stalling tactic after he asked Majority Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, if the House bill was going to be scheduled for a committee hearing.

“Probably not,” Morse replied, later noting there was no point because both sides were at a stalemate.

With bills having to be read at length — one was 73 pages — Democrats retaliated by moving Republican bills to the end of the calendar.

Republicans agreed to withdraw their procedural manuever after Democrats agreed to schedule the bill for a hearing this afternoon. Both sides said the GOP map will be heavily amended.

Today’s drama — on the second-to-last-day of the session — also included more accusations between Senate President Brandon Shaffer[3], D-Longmont, and House Speaker, Frank McNulty[4], R-Highlands Ranch. They disagreed over why closed-door negotiations in the governor’s office broke down and who was at fault.

Shaffer on McNulty: “He’s playing the blame game, and the rest of us are trying to be the adults in the room.”

McNulty on Shaffer: “If he says I’m being an impediment, he is lying.”

The tit-for-tat followed a wild debate in the Senate Monday night and early this morning on the Democrats’ proposed redistricting map. By debating past midnight without taking a vote, Senate Bill 268 was basically dead.

As Democrats talked, Republicans accused them of a filibuster to kill their own measure. Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, yelled “Stalling!” as Democrats came to the microphone. Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, played the theme song from “Jeopardy!” over and over again on his iPad.

At a news conference this morning, Republicans expressed frustration that Democrats chose to kill their own bill.

Kopp and Sen. Greg Brophy[5], R-Wray, also said Republicans would be willing to give Democrats “80 percent of what they want” if House Bill 1319 goes to a Senate committee.

When Kopp told Morse of the offer, Morse said it would make no difference if the Senate reached an agreement because the bill would have to go back to the GOP-controlled House led by McNulty.

“You don’t have any influence over the House Republicans,” Morse said told Kopp. “We have been negotiating with McNulty for weeks and he has been stonewalling us every time.

“I don’t want to go to committee and spend hours if we can’t come to a compromise.”

Kopp promised to go to bat with McNulty.

The legislature is charged with redrawing congressional boundaries every decade after the census to make sure each district has roughly the same number of people. If the legislature can’t agree this session, lawmakers could be headed for a special session or to court.

Morse said because McNulty yesterday talked about the issue going to court, Democrats believe the best strategy was to let lawmakers talk about the bill for a court record.

Republicans say they believe it was the Democrats’ intent all along to go to courts, hoping a liberal judge will draw them a friendly map.

Democrats for weeks have placed the blame on Republicans, saying they drew legislative maps designed to give Republicans victories in five of seven congressional districts although the public has said it wants competitive districts.